Monday, 21 December 2015

My top 10 most read blog posts

One element that
fascinates me about blogging is which topics get the most attention from
readers. There is no particular formula for how I choose what to write about, so to see what becomes most widely read is really
informative for me. To round-off
2015, I wanted to compile a blog that reflects the posts on D4Dementia that
have been read the most. With over 170 entries on a variety of topics relating
to dementia, health and social care, there is certainly plenty of subject
matter to trawl through, and for me, many fond memories of writing particular
blogs.So (drum roll)
here is my top 10 to date:

10 – Think about the ‘Dementia Words’ that you use
Published in May 2015, this post focuses on the language used in relation to
dementia, a topic that always ignites passionate responses. The inspiration
behind this particular post was the Dementia Action Alliance and DEEP (Dementia
Engagement and Empowerment Project) Call to Action entitled ‘Dementia Words
Matter’.

9 – NCD (Otherwise known as dementia)Published in November 2012, this post focuses on the drive to change the name
of dementia to ‘Major or Minor Neurocognitive Disorder’. Unsurprisingly, as
it’s another post focused on language around dementia, it has been a very popular
read.

8 – Hydrated and happyPublished in May 2013, this is the first of what I’d call my ‘practical advice’
posts to feature in the top 10. Hydration is such a key topic in dementia care,
so I'm delighted it has been so widely read.

7 – The carer’s job description
Published in June 2012, this post remains one of my personal favourites. I’ve
written extensively about the role of family carers since ‘The carer’s job
description’, but I don’t think I’ve ever improved upon how I opened this
particular blog: “If you had to be
isolated, unsupported and fight the system, would you apply to be an unpaid
carer? This is not a position that fills you with hope for the future, gives
you room for personal development, or brings the benefits of structured team
work. Yet thousands of people fulfil this truly unique role; not because it was
their dream job and certainly not because of the bonuses and benefits.”

6 – Understanding aggression
Published in July 2013, this is the second of my ‘practical advice’ blog posts to
make it into the top 10. Although I’ve never been entirely happy to categorise
any dementia symptom as ‘aggression’, largely because I think the bluntness of
that language helps to reinforce stigmatised views about people who are living
with dementia, I hope the wording is forgiven in favour of some of the really
important points in the blog that I wanted to put across in the most
straightforward way possible.

5 – End-of-life care: A very personal story
Published in June 2012, this is easily the most difficult blog post I’ve ever
written. Discussing my dad’s end-of-life care for the first time was very
emotional, and I remember reading the blog back to myself for the first time
after I’d written it and the tears streaming down my face.

4 – Caught on camera
Published in October 2013, this is perhaps the most controversial blog post in
my top 10. It explores the use of hidden cameras in care homes, a topic that
remains hugely divisive to this day.

3 – The voices of experiencePublished in June 2013, I’d like to think that the inclusion of this blog post
at number 3 in the top ten is testimony to the real groundswell of opinion that
the voices of people with personal experience of dementia, whether they are living with a diagnosis
of dementia or a past or present carer, should always be heard at any and every
event about dementia. Sadly I think there is still a long way to go to make
this a reality, but since I wrote this post things have moved in a more
positive direction around including and valuing personal experiences.

2 – So how much do you know about dementia?Published in September 2012, this is another of my personal favourites, a blog
post all about busting myths and challenging stigma. I’ve written about
dementia awareness many times since this blog post, but the basic messages in
this particular piece are as relevant now as they were then. Written before we
had ‘Dementia Friends’ and some of the other high-profile awareness-raising
initiatives, this was a real trail-blazer blog post for me, and one that I
still see referenced on social media.

And at number one….

1 – Hard to swallow
Published in September 2012, I honestly never imagined that when I wrote a blog
on dysphagia (swallowing problems) that it would attract such a wide and
extensive readership. I suspect the popularity of this post is testimony to the
fact that trying to find out essential information about this common aspect of
dementia care is difficult for both families and professionals alike. Nothing
makes me happier than to know it has been so widely read, and judging by the feedback I’ve received the advice in this blog has been extremely
helpful to numerous people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

So there you
have it, my top ten most read D4Dementia blog posts. What this list tells me overall
is that practical advice really reigns supreme when it comes to blogging about
dementia. ‘Hard to Swallow’ isn’t at number one by a narrow margin – to put
this into context, it’s been read by as many people as numbers 2-5 combined.

Of the remaining
‘practical advice’ blog posts in the top ten, I’m not at all surprised to see
my blogs featuring tips to keep a person with dementia hydrated and how to understand
and cope with aggression are both really popular reads. Just missing out on the
top 10 were my blogs on understanding how a person with dementia expresses themselves and how to promote continence and cope with incontinence,
which only reinforces in my mind that readers really value the chance to
explore our personal experiences as a family, alongside gaining tips and advice
for coping themselves.

Of the remaining
posts, to see end-of-life care at number 5 proves that a topic so many of us
shy away from needs to be tackled, and of course from a personal perspective,
to see my first major blog on family carers being so widely read is a real plus
point for me. Dementia language and awareness were, I think, always likely to
feature given the growing prominence of both issues, and dovetails rather
neatly with the messages in my blog post about involving people with personal
experience of dementia. Finally, of course, tackling a controversial issue like
cameras in care homes inevitably draws attention – hopefully it has also helped
to provide some clarity on a topic that divides opinions.

As this will be
my last D4Dementia blog post of 2015, all that remains is for me to wish you
all a very Happy Christmas and New Year. I hope the festive season brings you
joy and many treasured memories. Mine will be my first as a new mum, and I will
perhaps reflect on this next year. D4Dementia returns in January, with the
first blog post planned to go live on Monday 11 January.

Thank you for
your amazing support during 2015. Here’s looking forward to 2016!

About Me

I'm a campaigner and consultant, writer and blogger. My dad had vascular dementia for approximately the last 19 years of his life. I aim to provide support and advice to those faced with similar situations, inform and educate care professionals and the wider population, promote debate and create improvements in dementia care.